Non-adherence to antipsychotic medication regimens: associations with resource use and costs

Background Several factors are thought to influence resource use and costs in treating schizophrenia. Aims To assess the relative impact of non-adherence and other factors associated with resource use and costs incurred by people with schizophrenia. Method Secondary analyses were made of data from a 1994 national survey of psychiatric morbidity among adults living in institutions in the UK. Factors potentially relating to resource use and costs were examined using two-part models. Results Patients who failed to adhere to their medication regimen were over one- and-a-half times as likely as patients who did adhere to it to report use of in-patient services. Non-adherence is one of the most signifcant factors in increasing external service costs, by a factor of almost 3. Non-adherence predicted an excess annual cost per patient of approximately pound2500 for in-patient services and over pound5000 for total service use. Conclusions Resource use and costs are influenced by various factors. Medication non-adherence consistently exhibits an association with higher costs. Further important factors are patient needs and the ability of the system to address them. Declaration of interest K.P. and P.L. are employees of Bristol-Myers Squibb, which also provided funding for M.K. and D.K.; D.K. is also funded by the Department of Health.